Kids Comic Book Creative Writing Workshop

This workshop was about teaching kids character development and story structure using comic books. After all with the highly visual and condensed format of comics it’s easy for kids to see step by step what goes into creating a story. The panels make it easier to see what they’ve done without flipping back through previous pages like a regular story book.

So how did we accomplish this task? It was fairly easy actually. There were 3 worksheets the kids used; a superhero creator worksheet and 2 that were blank panel pages.


They started with the superhero outline as characters were explained as the building blocks of a story. On the front the kids created their superhero. Once they had finished they were asked to flip the page over to design their villain.

After they had designed their characters the kids were taught setting. They wrote down the name of where their characters lived on the same worksheet. These creations needed some place to live after all.

Once they had their setting conflict was introduced. The kids were told to figure out why their hero and villain didn’t like each other. Why it was they were fighting.

When they had their reasons and all of the ground work was set up they were given the 2 panel sheets. We explained that all that was left for them to figure out to make their story was how to resolve the conflict between the characters and how their story would end.

The kids set to work and the end result was fantastic! In both cases the hero and villain ended up being friends again resulting in a happy ending. Each individual story took its own path, but both girls decided that their characters needed to be friends at the end.

After they read me their stories the kids said they had fun and would tell their teacher what they had learned over break. We’re glad they had fun because we had fun putting it on. Looking forward to doing more of these workshops.

Hannibal Lecter Is My Valentine

 Valentine’s Day is a holiday that, generally, people loathe but the greeting card, candy companies, florists, restaurants, and retail stores enjoy. We shell out money, while they make it. Valentine’s Day is a holiday filled with guilt and depression. If you’re part of a couple there’s pressure to do something and if you’re single it’s a horrible reminder that you are single.

    Myself I’m really not a fan of the holiday for the afore mentioned reasons, despite being in a relationship. That’s why a few years ago, when I was still single, I came up with my own way to celebrate that makes the day more enjoyable. A way that makes me forget about the commercialized lovey dovey. I marathon Hannibal Lecter movies.

That’s right, I spend my Valentine’s Day with Hannibal Lecter. Sure he’s psychotic, but he’s smart, cultured, well read, enjoys the finer things, and let us not forget, an amazing cook. I know he eats people, but he’s such a gourmet chef that he’s able to hide the taste of human flesh so that his guests have no idea what they’re eating.

I have all of the movies; well all but one. I don’t have ‘Manhunter’ with William Petersen, but beyond that I have them all including season one of the Hannibal TV series. I alternate each year what order I watch them in. Sometimes I watch them in chronological order of the storyline which means I start with ‘Hannibal Rising’ and end with ‘Hannibal’. Other times I watch them in the order they were made so I start with ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ and end with ‘Hannibal Rising’.

    To top the day off I also order Chinese food delivery. Yep, Hannibal Lecter and Chinese food is the best way to spend Valentine’s Day that I have discovered. I binge on Hannibal the 14th and then discounted Valentine’s candy on the 15th.

Hannibal Lecter is my Valentine. How do you spend Valentine’s Day?

Comic Geeks Unite New Year Plan for 2015 (Part 1)

It’s that time of year again. Time to set goals to accomplish during this new year. For those who don’t know I wanna take a moment to explain that a few years ago I stopped making New Year’s Resolutions because to me resolutions are temporary and most don’t make it past March. I make goals so that I have a to do list that I have a year to get done.

Let’s take a sec to look at last year’s goals:

1) Try to make it to more events. (I want to carry this one over)
2) Do or get heavily involved in a geek event
3) Continue to work on my correspondence like when you guys send me stuff and keeping up with the page
4) Get a decent website up and running
5) Do a cosplay calendar
6) Spread the word about CGU
7) Never miss an opportunity to chat or hang with my geeky brethren
8) Now that I've started a blog, keep up with it.
I didn’t too horrible in keeping up with those goals. I didn’t get the website going, I wasn’t able to finish the cosplay calendar but I did start it, and I’ve been kinda lax about the blog here. One thing I did do last year to help ensure I met these goals was I took on a partner to help me run CGU so that I wasn’t spreading myself too thin.

My partner, Michael Conkright, and I have come up with a slightly different way of setting our goals and game plan for CGU for this year. The set up is called a CPR, which stands for Context, Purpose, and Results. In doing this we have also redefined the mission statement for Comic Geeks Unite. It also means that we are setting goals every 6 months. So this list of goals is what we hope to accomplish from January-June. In June we’ll evaluate what we’ve done and set new goals for June-December. So here goes:

Context (what we are at our core): Inspire geeks through fun

Purpose (our new mission statement): Comic Geeks Unite is to have a place where geeks can socialize, share interests, and express opinions without fear of being ridiculed or criticized.

Results (our goals):

• Whatever we do we break even monetarily
• Create a website
• Get sponsors for ads for the website
• Seek to do 6 educational workshops. (Even if I am unable to do them seek out 6 places to pitch the workshop idea)
• Talk to Chris Perry about being involved in the ANIMAINE convention
• Talk to Justin Labarge about setting up the website
• Attend at least 3 local shows, but if opportunity becomes available attend more
• We’re going to test a pod cast idea by launching 2 videos on YouTube for your feedback

Again keep in mind that this list of goals is only for the first 6 months. In June we’re going to re-evaluate these goals and create new ones. In the meantime if any of you have suggestions or things you would like to see from us here at Comic Geeks Unite let us know. After all we’re here for you, our fellow geeks.

Kids Comic Book Workshop 1

On Monday December 29 2014 I did my first Kids Comic Workshop at the Maine Children’s Discovery Museum in Augusta, Maine. Why? Because I honestly believe comics have a lot to teach us and I wanted to show both kids and parents that comics are more than caped heroes running after bad guys. The Children’s Discovery Museum liked that idea and gave me the opportunity to share my ideas.

I had planned to cover a few topics, but to also keep it light in order to make sure the kids were engaged and getting something out of it. I started my telling the kids before hand to dress up in superhero costumes. I also dressed in costume. I had mashed together 3-4 costumes that I have thinking I would match the kids when they showed up, but they surprised me. They came as Superman, Wolverine, Ninja Turtles, Jedi, and a few others. When they got there I made them all superhero name tags telling them they could pick any superhero name they wanted and I would call them that name during the workshop. One little boy came as a Japanese hero who for the life of me I couldn’t remember nor pronounce the name. I felt bad, but he had told me the English translation was Electric Man so that’s what I went with.

The format of the workshop went like this:

• Good Guys vs. Bad Guys
• Good guys don’t always wear white and bad guys don’t always wear black
• Tips on bullies and how not to be one
• Geek pride, what it means to be a geek
• Favorite heroes and why they like them
• Everyday heroes like police, firemen, doctors, volunteers, etc., and even our friends
• Comics can help reading
• Vocabulary words found in comics
• Comics teach us how to use our imagination

Then I ended by having the kids design their own superheroes and costumes. They spread out on the floor with paper and crayons creating their heroes. After they finished they proudly showed me what they had created.

It was a great experience and I’m looking to do more workshops like this. I had fun, the kids enjoyed themselves, and the Children’s Discovery Museum liked having something different for the kids to enjoy. Look for more workshops to come, and if you’re interesting in having me do a workshop feel free to contact me either thru Facebook at: www.facebook.com/comicgeeksunite or by e-mail at comicgeeksunite@yahoo.com.